Driving distracted? Restrain that dog

by Larry Copeland - Aug. 18, 2010 12:00 AMUSA Today

Dog lovers, beware: Taking man's best friend for a ride could be risky.

Nearly 60 percent of dog owners have driven while distracted by their pets as passengers, according to a survey by auto club AAA. Only 17 percent ever use animal restraints such as harnesses and pet vehicle seats, which can prevent pets from being a distraction and protect them and other occupants in a crash, the survey finds.

In crashes, unrestrained dogs pose an unintended threat to the driver and other passengers, says Jennifer Huebner-Davidson, manager of traffic-safety programs at AAA.

She says an unrestrained 10-pound dog in a crash at 50 mph will exert 500 pounds of force on whatever it strikes; an 80-pound dog in a crash at 30 mph will exert about 2,400 pounds, she says. Unrestrained dogs also can prove distracting by climbing onto the driver's lap, interfering with the ability to steer, or crawling onto the foot pedals.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recommends that people use restraints on dogs and cats to prevent harm to them, the driver and other passengers, says Louise Murray, a veterinarian and vice president of ASPCA's Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital in New York.

Pets not only shouldn't ride in the driver's lap, they also shouldn't ride in the front passenger seat because of the risk of injury from a deploying airbag, Murray says.

"The best way for people to think about this is to compare the dog to having a child in the car," she says.

Almost two in five households in the U.S. have a dog, the American Pet Products Association says.